Hey there, fellow students of Nigeria! 🎓 Are you tired of the same old routine of asking your parents for pocket money or relying solely on your meager allowance? Well, guess what? The internet has opened up a host of opportunities for you to earn some extra cash without leaving the comfort of your dorm rooms. In this article, I’m going to dive into the exciting topic of how to make money online in Nigeria as a student. 🌍💰
Let’s face it: the Nigerian economy is in terrible shape, with inflation draining the money from your pockets. The fact is that nothing is guaranteed in Nigeria because the system is not working. Even if you graduate and manage to get a job, there’s no guarantee that it will make you rich.
Let me tell you a short story: Jide, a young and broke college student in Nigeria, faced the familiar struggles of making ends meet while juggling the demands of his studies. However, his life took an extraordinary turn when he delved into the world of online opportunities.
Jide was always broke; he barely managed to eat. One day, he stumbled on a post in one of the Facebook groups he belonged to. The post was about how to create designs with a smartphone.
Jide was hooked. He had a phone, but it wasn’t making him any money. He decided to learn, and after spending a week learning the skill, he got good at it and began to advertise his skill on his wall and in other groups. He usually charged between N2,000 and N5,000 per design job.
With time, he learned about Upwork and was able to buy a laptop, with which he learned graphic design by watching video tutorials. This young man was on his way to becoming a millionaire because he was earning dollars. With time, Jide was living large in his final year.
This story could be your story, but only if you are determined to succeed, like Jide.
Jide’s Story: From Broke to Millionaire
Jide’s tale is one of determination, innovation, and seizing opportunities. As a student who once relied solely on a meager allowance, he refused to let financial constraints define his path. With a strong desire to change his circumstances, Jide set out to explore the vast realm of online money-making.
Here are some practical ways to make money online in Nigeria as a student. These options may cost you some money, but remember, there’s no gain without pain. Some people recommend watching videos as a way to make money online, but I disagree. It’s data-consuming and is not worth it.
The money you spend on sports betting or unnecessary expenses can be invested in lucrative ventures online. If you focus and are consistent, your future self will be grateful you took that step.
- Jide's Story: From Broke to Millionaire
- Practical Ways to Make Money Online in Nigeria as a Student
- Blogging: Sharing Your Passion with the World
- Content Writing: Turning Words into Wealth
- Graphic Design: Creativity Equals Cash
- Comedy Skits: Laughter and Income
- Social Media Management: Nurturing Online Presence
- Website Design: Building Digital Real Estate
- YouTube Channel: Sharing Knowledge and Profits
- Mini Importation: E-commerce Success
- Owodaily: A Platform for Earnings
- ViralTrend: Spreading Content for Profit
- Benefits of Pursuing an Online Business
- How to receive money from your Online Business
- Concluding Thoughts: Your Online Journey Awaits
- Frequently Asked Questions
Practical Ways to Make Money Online in Nigeria as a Student
Blogging: Sharing Your Passion with the World
If you have a passion for writing, it could be more than just a hobby. By starting a blog, you can share your insights, experiences, and expertise while generating income through advertisements and affiliate marketing.
A lot of people have made it big by blogging. I’m talking about people like Linda Ikeji, whose net worth is in the millions of dollars, Seun Osewa who is the owner of Nairaland, blogs like Olufamous, Legit.ng, and others.
You can start with a little investment, like a used laptop and some money for a domain name and hosting, and you’re good to go. The good thing is that you don’t even need to write articles by yourself; AI can do that for you!
You can use AI tools like Chat GPT to write articles. Just edit and make corrections before you post. With time, your blog can become a source of passive income for you. I have written an article on how to start a blog for free. You should check it out.
Content Writing: Turning Words into Wealth
If you don’t want to start a blog, you can go into content writing. Many businesses and websites are eager to pay for quality articles, and this can be a solid income stream for you if you know what you are doing.
You can write articles for blogs, email newsletters, website copy, and a host of other written materials and get paid. If you know what you’re doing, it can make you thousands of dollars through the right freelance platform like Upwork or Fiverr.
Nowadays, with AI technology, you can write an article in just seconds, thanks to platforms like Chat GPT, Jasper AI, Koala AI Writer, and others.
Graphic Design: Creativity Equals Cash
If you have an artistic flair, you can explore graphic design and leverage it to design marketing materials for businesses. In our story, Jide used just his smartphone to design logos, letterheads, and other materials for a fee.
You can also do this. From crafting logos to designing promotional materials, you can tap into the visual needs of businesses and clients, thereby earning substantial profits. There are apps like Pixellab, Canva, Desygner, GoDaddy Studio, and lots of other apps with which you can create designs with a professional touch.
Alternatively, if you have a PC or laptop, you can learn graphic design and become a freelance designer. Sites like Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer, and others are great places to sell your skills for income in dollars.
Comedy Skits: Laughter and Income
If you have a sense of humour, it could be your ticket to success in the world of comedy skits. Think about skit makers like MC Mbakara, Brain Jotter, Nedu Wazobia, Investor Sabinus, and a host of others who are cashing out millions of naira monthly.
There was a time when skit-making wasn’t popular, but nowadays, it’s not the same anymore. In fact, new skit makers are popping up everywhere because of how lucrative it is. However, if you must succeed in this area, you have to stand out: be unique in your approach.
Create your own brand and create relatable and hilarious videos for social media, especially Facebook. With time, you could be drawing in a massive audience and attracting brand partnerships.
Consistency is the one thing that will help you succeed as a skit maker in Nigeria. This is because it is extremely challenging to build an audience, but there is room for everyone. You can even grow to become a social media influencer. It starts with creating a Facebook page!
Social Media Management: Nurturing Online Presence
Recognizing the impact of social media, you can manage the online profiles of small businesses for a fee. By helping them engage with their audience and expand their reach, you can earn both recognition and income.
Social media management is one way you can make money online in Nigeria as a student because you don’t need an office or buy equipment. You need just your phone and data to do this.
All you need to do is set up a Facebook page for your business, clearly stating what you do. You can build up your portfolio by offering this service for free initially. This first client will refer other potential clients to you. Subsequently, you can charge a fee.
A good place to start is by watching helpful YouTube videos on social media management, or even taking a free course that is available online.
Website Design: Building Digital Real Estate
Website design is another way to make money online in Nigeria as a student. Many businesses need a website in order to remain relevant in today’s world. All you need to do is get a used laptop and learn how to use WordPress to create user-friendly and visually appealing websites for clients.
WordPress is easy to use, is versatile in that you can build just about any type of website by using themes. I run all my blogs on WordPress, and I recommend it.
Each website that you build is a piece of digital real estate, contributing to your growing wealth. You can even have your hosting platform that you can resell to other website designers.
The good thing about website design is that it is a source of recurring income – your clients will need to renew their website hosting annually. If you have about 20 websites you manage, they could be bringing in money for you just about every other month.
YouTube Channel: Sharing Knowledge and Profits
By starting a YouTube channel, you can share your knowledge, expertise, and passion through video content. YouTube has a system of rewarding creators by sharing advertising dollars with them.
If you are consistent and build up your subscriber base, YouTube will reward you. You need to research the niches that you can build a channel around. The views and subscribers can translate into advertising revenue, sponsorships, and even more income through affiliate marketing.
Mini Importation: E-commerce Success
You can venture into the world of e-commerce through mini-importation. Mini-importation is simply importing trending products and reselling them in Nigeria.
This is a great way to make money online in Nigeria as a student because you don’t need a shop to keep your products. There are products that you won’t easily find in the market that you can source from AliExpress at competitive prices. People are willing to buy these products because they are not available in shops in Nigeria.
You can easily set up a product catalog on WhatsApp and probably run some advertising to make sales. Though this method is kind of tedious, it can be lucrative because you can add high markups to your products and make good profits.
Owodaily: A Platform for Earnings
Owodaily is one of the platforms where you can make money online in Nigeria as a student. According to the website, Owodaily connects advertisers and freelancers in a mutually beneficial way.
Owodaily offers freelancers like students a way to earn money by installing apps, writing reviews, following and liking people on social media, subscribing to YouTube channels, and more. Meanwhile, the platform allows advertisers to list these jobs for a fee.
Owodaily had a free plan, but they have scrapped it. Presently, they have two paid plans: N5,000 for the basic and N15,000 for the Owodaily+ plan, both annual. Both plans allow you to make money, but you have more opportunities to make money with the higher plan.
Here’s a video that explains the process in a little bit more detail, courtesy of Franklin Emmanuel.
ViralTrend: Spreading Content for Profit
Like Owodaily, ViralTrend is a platform that rewards you for sharing sponsored content on your social media accounts. There is no limit to how much you can earn on ViralTrend.
All you need is your smartphone and data to earn on this platform. So what are you waiting for?
Having gone through some ways to make money online in Nigeria as a student, let’s see some benefits of pursuing an online business next.
Benefits of Pursuing an Online Business
Flexibility and Autonomy
An online business offers you flexibility and freedom from a regular job. You can manage your time, balance your studies, and nurture your online business according to your schedule.
Global Reach
The digital realm allows you to transcend geographical limitations. Your clients and audience span the globe, giving you exposure to diverse cultures and markets. What this means is that you are not limited to Nigerian clients alone, but international ones as well.
Diverse Income Streams
By diversifying your online endeavors, these efforts can ensure that your income is not dependent on a single source. This stability can protect you from financial uncertainties.
How to receive money from your Online Business
You need a domiciliary account, and probably a PayPal account in order to receive your income in Nigeria. I recommend GTBank or Access Bank for a domiciliary account.
Whenever your Payoneer balance gets up to $50 or above, you can withdraw it to your domiciliary account in Nigeria.
Concluding Thoughts: Your Online Journey Awaits
Your journey from a financially strained student to a millionaire is possible; you can actually make money online as a student in Nigeria. The avenues we explored – from blogging to e-commerce – are only a fraction of the possibilities available. With determination, dedication, and a willingness to learn, you can embark on your own online journey of making money as a student.
Don’t forget, you have the advantage of technology and the internet at your fingertips. The digital world is a playground of opportunities, waiting for you to take the first step. Whether you’re a budding writer, a creative designer, or a social media enthusiast, the path to online success is within your reach.
Remember, just like Jide, your journey might begin with humble beginnings, but with persistence and a strategic approach, you can create a thriving online empire. So, start exploring, start learning, and start earning; your future as an online entrepreneur is waiting to be written.
Frequently Asked Questions
As a student in Nigeria, you have a range of options to earn money. Exploring online opportunities like freelancing, content creation, tutoring, or starting a small business can be lucrative.
Making money online as a student involves leveraging your skills or interests. You can engage in freelance work, content writing, smartphone graphic design, social media management, and more.
There are several options to make money online without investment, such as participating in online surveys, watching ads, doing micro-tasks on sites like Owodaily or ViralTrend, or utilizing platforms that reward you for engaging with content.
A 17-year-old in Nigeria can explore opportunities like social media management, freelance writing, graphic design, and starting a small mini-importation business online. These options allow you to earn money while honing your skills.
Apps like Opay, PiggyVest, and Naira Rewards offer opportunities to earn real money through various tasks, such as referring friends, participating in surveys, and more.
Starting a small online business, such as Dropshipping, affiliate marketing, or selling handcrafted items, can be a viable option with an initial investment of 20K Naira.
You can make money with your phone by engaging in tasks like taking online surveys, participating in freelance work, selling products on e-commerce platforms, and using cash reward platforms like OwoDaily or ViralTrend.
Certain platforms reward users for watching videos or ads. You can explore apps like Swagbucks, Vindale Research, or Vindale Videos to earn money through this activity.
You can also transcribe YouTube videos into articles and post them on websites like Vocal Media (www.vocal.media) for views which translates to cash rewards.
Items such as fashion accessories, beauty products, gadgets, and unique crafts are popular choices for selling in Nigeria. Conduct research on the market to identify trends and demands. This is called mini-importation business.
With 5k Naira, you can consider starting a small-scale service business like smartphone graphic design, content writing, or offering social media management services to local businesses.
Owodaily is a website that allows you to make money daily as a student, by doing small tasks for cash rewards. They have a free plan and a paid plan for freelancers. The paid plan is recommended because it offers more opportunities to make more money.
While earning a lot of money fast requires effort, the truth is this: there is no guaranteed way to make fast money as a teenager. Building a business takes time, effort, cash investment, and lots of challenges. However, with perseverance and tenacity, you will succeed.
A student with 10k Naira can consider starting a small-scale venture such as buying and selling, providing digital services like smartphone design, or engaging in Dropshipping.
As a student, you can run businesses like social media management, content creation (comedy skits), smartphone graphic design, Dropshipping, and social media management, which can be managed alongside your studies.
With 10,000 Naira, you can engage in buying and selling small items like phone cases, reselling internet data, selling airtime, and similar small businesses.
Starting an offline Dropshipping business, smartphone graphic design, or offering social media management can be relatively low-cost and affordable options for budding entrepreneurs in Nigeria.
Students can make money from Google through platforms like Google AdSense by placing ads on their blogs or YouTube channels, and earning revenue based on clicks and impressions.
Students can also make money with Google News, by copying and rewriting/rewording the articles and posting them on websites that accept news article submissions.
Engaging in gig jobs like graphic design, participating in online surveys, and offering digital skills like social media management can help you make quick money in Nigeria.